Good afternoon all! And a happy post vets. day to those who have served...Thank you.

I'm looking to get my own gear...used. I'm tired of renting gear...not that renting gear is a bad thing, but on some days there's actually a line to rent gear and it's first come first serve.

I'm a first year A lic. and wanted to buy a used 210 main and 210 res. However, I'm only 5' 5" and 130lbs. In looking at the classified I can find 210 main and res, but looking for a used container/harness in my size is hard to find.

So, i'm looking to just purchase, perhaps, a Mirage G4 that fits me and fits the canopies (i believe the Mirage G4 version M6 accomodate the canopies per Mirage's website).

There's no reason that shouldn't work. You want a rig that will fit you, and that's the best way to insure you get what you want with it. I'm actually planning to do the same thing, get a new rig and see if I can find a couple of used 240s to put in it.

Don't forget to include an AAD in your cost estimate. You might be able to find a used one of those as well, just make sure it's working and has been serviced recently. You can always have a rigger check it out before you buy it. If they don't want to ship to your rigger at your home DZ, find a different buyer. Same thing goes for canopies.

My question is what do ya'll think about buying a used main and reserve but just buying my own harness/container?

I'll let other folks comment specifically on the canopy choices (but i agree about giving the sizing a good, hard think...)...if you have the cash for everything...it certainly doesn't hurt in the comfort compartment.

I can't find the link on the new ChutingStar site...but they had a "new guy buying gear" section of advice (looks like it should be under here but looks like they're "working on the server" or something http://www.chutingstar.com/expert-advice/) and they essentially said what you proposed: custom rig, used nylon.

Once it is back up it walks through the pros and cons of various ways to get gear: all new, mixed, all used etc.

if you are 130lbs, you will be wasting money buying a brand new container for a 210 main. Within your first 50 jumps you will be whining about wanting to downsize.

I have never met anyone aside from accuracy jumpers who jump a .76 WL on regular basis.

Heh, honestly, if dude wants to jump .75 for the next couple years, why argue with them? Everyone is different, and maybe they just like the long canopy ride or something. I'm in a similar situation -- I might move down around 1.0 before I buy my gear, but I'm pretty happy flying at .85 and could easily see doing that for several years. I'd just be happy they're not going straight to a Velo 76!

It might not even be that difficult to find someone who's 5'5, weighs 210 pounds and would be interested in buying the rig second handed when the time comes to downsize.

2. Buying a new harness (to fit my size) and going with used main/res. canopies was actually a 3rd option i was thinking about, but wanted to get some feedback on that idea. My original idea was to first find a completely used system that fits me with the canopies i'm looking for (kinda hard but i'm hoping eventually something might show up). || keep on renting gear for a few years until I feel comfortable downsizing...rent for a few years...downsize again...and finally settle on a whole new system that i can call my own

I only have time to jump 1 weekend (saturday and sunday and sometimes in between the work week) a month so that's why i factored in being on a 200+ for a few years.

Oh, just out of curiosity, would you guys laugh at me if i DID find a used rig that fits me but the rig was like pink or sized for a woman?

2. Buying a new harness (to fit my size) and going with used main/res. canopies was actually a 3rd option i was thinking about, but wanted to get some feedback on that idea. My original idea was to first find a completely used system that fits me with the canopies i'm looking for (kinda hard but i'm hoping eventually something might show up). || keep on renting gear for a few years until I feel comfortable downsizing...rent for a few years...downsize again...and finally settle on a whole new system that i can call my own

I only have time to jump 1 weekend (saturday and sunday and sometimes in between the work week) a month so that's why i factored in being on a 200+ for a few years.

Oh, just out of curiosity, would you guys laugh at me if i DID find a used rig that fits me but the rig was like pink or sized for a woman?

Piecing together a rig is often the only option if you want something "non-standard" (big canopies for a small person fit that).

Finding a H/C that fits both you and the canopies may present a challenge. There is then the option of a harness resize. If you find a H/C you think is workable, get the serial number from the seller. Send that and your measurements to the manufacturer and see if they can resize it to fit you and how much it will cost. You can find out how to get the measurments from the mfg's website. Follow the directions closely and have someone else take the measurements. You can't do it accurately yourself.

And yes, we will laugh at you for just about everything. But if you have a rig that fits you and your needs, just look at the 'laughers' and ask who's on the next load.

if you are 130lbs, you will be wasting money buying a brand new container for a 210 main. Within your first 50 jumps you will be whining about wanting to downsize.

I have never met anyone aside from accuracy jumpers who jump a .76 WL on regular basis.

That would be my bet, too, but he'll be able to sell it pretty easily. I've known several girls looking for rigs with very large canopies who complained that all they found were rigs sized for "big boys".

OP: How many jumps do you have? I'm just wondering how long it's taken you to get tired of the rental line. If you're impatient with the rental equipment, what makes you think you're going to be so patient with downsizing? (Admirable goal, but I had a similar idea, but it didn't take too long for me to get tired of coming straight down on a 170, policing all that nylon in the wind, and getting dragged on my back)

It's a good idea to be conservative with your canopy choice, but for a 130 lbs person, a 210 is a VERY conservative choice.

A couple of thoughts regarding that -

-Your exit weight is probably around 160lbs, so even a 170 main would still have you under 1 to 1 wingloading, which many consider to be a good 'starting point' for a licensed jumper.

-Your WL on a 210 would put some pretty conservative wind limits on your jumping. Of course you never want to jump in turbulent or gusty winds, but when they are steady, winds are not a bad thing. What it comes down to is the forward speed of your canopy, and with a very low WL like you would have a 210, it wouldn't take much wind to end your jumping for the day.

-A rig that will hold a 210 main and reserve is not going to be small, and based on your description, you're on the smaller side. You might find that a smaller rig would be more confortable, and easier to fly. If your rig is too long for your torso, or wider than you are, it will get in the way of your flying.

That said, you should only jump canopies you're ready for, and the way you get ready is by moving down one size at a time once you and your instructors feel you are ready to try a new size. While that might not be today, if you work toward it, you might find that a 190 is in your near furture.

Beyond that, look for a used rig that fits whatever canopies you end up buying, and than have the harness resized to fit you. Figure on anything from $250 to $450 to have the work done, with the end result being a new, custom fit harness on the used container. Get the serial number from any used rig you're considering, and call the manufacturer for a quote on a resize.

You might find a used container you can pick up for $1100, and then add $400 for a resize. Now you have a $1500 container with a new harness that fits you perfectly. That's still $1000 less than it would cost to buy a brand new container, and you'll get the used on quicker. You could spend the $1000 savings on an AAD, or just more jumps.

hi tmccann, I have 51 jumps under my belt. The reason why i was considering piecing together a used rig is because I work the night shift and my home DZ is 2 hours away. The rental opens at 7:30 on weekends and sometimes by the time i get there the gear is rented out and i'm out and about waiting until a suitable rental gear is turned in. Other times I get lucky and i'm there on time but i'm driving like a maniac to get to the DZ . So i figured try to see if i can get a used rig that fits me and go from there.

Davelepka, hey man, thanks again for your input! You're provided great feedback on some of my topics since i've started. I selected a more conservative WL because it was one i was used to during AFF and felt more comfortable. I think the more I get the community's feedback and do some research I leaning toward rental until I can do a WL of .9 .

Thanks all for your feedback. Though I do not have a definitive decision yet, it's certainly pointed me in the right direction!

Have you moved down at all from where you started? My guys suggested that I work my way down to at least 1.0 (Don't forget to factor gear into your weight at exit) as I felt comfortable. They started me out on a 300. I moved down to a 280 and didn't notice a huge difference. I moved down to a 260 about a month ago. Once I get to a 240, that'll be right about 1.0 with gear and everything, and that's where I plan to stay for at least a couple of years. Maybe longer.

If you get comfortable at wingloadings more appropriate to your weight, you'd be increasing your rental gear selection, too. If you don't find the one you're currently jumping, you can move to one of the lower wingloadings that you're using right now. You still know how to fly them, so they remain an option.

If you haven't done one yet, I highly recommend a canopy course as soon as time and money allow. You'll learn a lot about how to fly your canopy and it might help you decide what you want to do for your own gear. Or you could just wait until you have your gear and then do a canopy course with it.

Throughout my course the largest canopy the instructors put me on was a 230 and the smallest I flew was a 200..and man, being a new guy, that 200 was coming in hot. I plf'ed the 200 but still took a dirt landing. So when I was cleared for solo I started renting and was put on a 210...i can only suspect because of the canopies i've flown and 210 was in the middle. I'm surely going to take a canopy course as well.

on a different note, but on the same topic, I found a nice used jumpsuit (in size small of course) but it fits a bit baggy. It's no LiquidSky or Bev so my fall rate averages 120mph. <--i think

Ah, yes, I can see why that would be annoying. Do they let you rent student gear? I know I've seen some licensed jumpers using the student rigs with Nav 220s in them when the 210s are all rented at Square 1.

I weigh just a bit more than you do, and jump just down the road at Elsinore. I don't see the benefit of (quite) such a low WL personally (I feel dirty. pardon me while I go join Sofpidarf), but I'm still new myself, and you're a grown ass man and can make your own decisions. That said, a canopy course was a day of learning I am very glad I spent. I took my first one while I was at 0.9 WL, and found the confidence to go to 1:1.

Pff at 130 you should be Mr. Floaty Pants! Have your instructors complained about your fall rate at all?

I fall like a bat out of hell. I'd regularly fall at 170 during my training. Lately I seem to average 140 for straight belly and around 125 if I'm tracking. We've had a couple light guys who fall in the high 90's! The instructors were threatening to put us together so he'd learn to fall faster and I'd learn to fall slower!

Did you only jump the 200 once? Maybe there was something else going on for that jump. I wouldn't expect such a small change downward to have such a big effect. It could be something funky with that particular canopy, too. Whenever you jump a new one, it's a good idea to try some practice flares while you're above your cutaway decision altitude. That'll give you an idea of what it'll do on landing.

Your weight is 130 lbs and you want to jump a 210 main !!!??? Good luck when jumping with medium to high winds. Expect to back up and have little control for choosing your landing area. Check with your rigger and instructor. I also do not recommend you to have a reserve as big as your main. I would say, a size below is fine. And by the time you reach 50 jumps, as somebody mentioned it, you will probably regret your choice.